USA > New Hampshire > The history of New-Hampshire. Comprehending the events of one complete century and seventy-five years from the discovery of the River Pascataqua to the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety, Vol I > Part 16
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return to their home more diftant. If an Indian had loft a relative, a prifoner bought for a gun, a hatchet,, or a few fkins, muft fupply the place of the deceafed, and be the father, brother, or fon of the purchafer ; and thofe who could accommodate themfelves to fuch barbarous adoption, were treated with the fame kindnefs as the perfons in whofe place they were fubftituted. A fale among the French of Canada was the moft happy event to a captive, efpecially if he became a fervant in a family ; though fometimes even there a prifon was their lot, till opportunity prefented for their redemption ; while the priefts employed every feducing art to per- vert them to the popiih religion, and induce them to abandon their country. Thefe cir- cumftances, joined with the more obvious hardfhips of travelling half naked and bare- foot through pathlefs deferts, over craggy mountains and deep fwvamps, through froit, rain and fnow, expofed by day and night to the inclemency of the weather, and in fum- mer to the venomous ftings of thofe num- berlefs infects with which the woods abound; the reftlefs anxiety of mind, the retrofpect of paft fcenes of pleafure, the remembrance of diftant friends, the bereavements experi- enced at the beginning or during the pro- grefs of the captivity, and the daily appre- henfion of death either by famine or the favage enemy ; thefe were the horrors of an Indian captivity.
On the other hand, it muft be acknow- ledged that there have been inflances of juf- tice, generofity and tendernefs during thefe wars, which would have done honor to a civ-
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ilized people. A kindnefs fhewn to an In- dian was remembered as long as an injury ; and perfons have had their lives fpared for acts of humanity done to the anceftors of thofe Indians into whofe hands they have fallen *. They would fometimes "carry " children on their arms and fhoulders, feed " their prifoners with the beft of their pro- " vifion, and pinch themfelves rather than " their captives fhould want food." When fick or wounded they would afford them proper means for their recovery, which they were very well able to do by their know- ledge of fimples. In. thus preferving the lives and health of their prifoners, they doubtlefs had a view of gain. But the moft remarkably favourable circumftance in an Indian captivity, was their decent behaviour to women. I have never read, nor heard, nor could find by enquiry, that any woman who fell into their hands was ever treat- ed with the leaft immodefty ; but teftimo- nies the contrary are very frequentt. Wheth-
* Several instances to this purpose have been occasionally mentioned in the course of this narrative. The following additional one is taken from Capt. Hammond's MS Journal. " April 13, 1677. The Indians Simon, An- "drew and Peter burnt the house of Edward Weymouth at Sturgeon creek. " They plundered the house of one Crawley but did not kill him, because of " some kindnesses done to Simon's grandmother."
+ Mary Rowlandson who was captured at Lancaster, in 1675, has this passage in her narrative, (p. 55.) " I have been in the midst of these roar- ing lions and savage bears, that feared neither God nor nian nor the devil, by day and night, aloneand in company ; sleeping all sorts together, and yet not one of them ever offered me the least abuse of unchastity in word or action."
Elizabeth Hanson who was taken from Dover in 1724, testifies in her nar- rative, (p. 28.) that " the Indians are very civil toward their captive wo- men, not offering any incivility by any indecent carriage."
William Fleming, who was taken in Pennsylvania, in 1755, says the In- dians told him "he need not be afraid of their abusing his wife, for they would not do it, for fear of offending their God (pointing their hands toward heav- en) for the man that affronts his God will surely be killed when he goes to war." He farther says, that one of them gave his wife a shift and petticoat which he had among his plunder, and though he was alone with her, yet " he target his back, and went to come distance while she put them on." (p 10.)
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er this negative virtue is to be áfcribed to a natural frigidity of conftitution, let philofo- phers enquire : The fact is certain ; and it was a moft happy circumftance for our fe- male captives, that in the midft of all their diftreffes, they had no reafon to fear from a lavage foe, the perpetration of a crime, which has too frequently difgraced not only the perfonal but the national character of thofe who make large pretences to civilization and humanity.
Charlevoix in his account of the Indians of Canada, says (letter 7.) "There is no example that any have ever taken the least liberty with the French wörhen, even when they were their prisoners."
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CHAP. XI.
The civil affairs of the province during the administrations of Usher, Partridge, Allen, the Earl of Bellamont and Dudley, comprehending the whole controversy with Allen and his heirs.
OHN Ufher, Efquire, was a native of Bofton, and by profeffion a ftationer. He was poffeffed of an handfome fortune, and fuftained a fair character in trade. He had been employed by the Maffachufetts govern- ment, when in England, to negociate the purchafe of the province of Maine, from the heirs of Sir Ferdinando Gorges, and had thereby got a tafte for fpeculating in landed intereft. He was one of the partners in the million purchafe, and had fanguine expecta- tions of gain from that quarter. He had rendered himfelf unpopular among his coun- trymen, by accepting the office of treafurer, under Sir Edmund Androffe, and joining with apparent zeal in the meafures of that administration, and he continued a friend- papers ly connexion with that party, after they were difplaced,
Though not illnatured, but rather of an open and generous difpofition, yet he want- ed thofe accomplifhments which he might have acquired by a learned and polite educa- tion. He was but little of the ftatefman, and lefs of the courtier. Inftead of an engaging affability he affected a feverity in his de- portment, was loud in converfation, and ftern in command. Fond of prefiding in govern- ment, he frequently journied into the pro-
Usher
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vince, (though his refidence was at Bofton, where he carried on his bufinefs as ufual,) and often fummoned the council when he had little or nothing to lay before them. He gave orders, and found fault like one who felt himfelf independent, and was determin- ed to be obeyed. He had an high idea of his authority and the dignity of his commif- fion, and when oppofed and infulted, as he fometimes was, he treated the offenders with a feverity which he would not relax till he had brought them to fubmiffion. His pub- lic fpeeches were always incorrect, and fome- times coarfe and reproachful.
Province Gles.
He feems, however, to have taken as much care for the intereft and prefervation of the province as one in his circumftances could have done. He began his adminiftra- tion in the height of a war which greatly diftreffed and impoverifhed the country, yet his views from the beginning were lucra- tive *. The people perceived thefe views, and were aware of the danger. The transfer of the title from Mafon to Allen was only a change of names : They expected a repetition of the fame difficulties under a new claim- ant. After the oppofition they had hitherto made, it could not be thought ftrange that men whofe pulfe beat high for freedom, fhould refufe to fubmit to vaffalage ; nor, while they were on one fide defending their
* In a letter to George Dorrington and John Taylor in London, he writes thus ; "Jan. 29, 1692-3. In case yourselves are concerned in the " province of New-Hampshire, with prudent management it may be worth " money, the people only paying 4d and 2d per acre. The reason why the " commonalty of the people do not agree is because 3 or 4 of the great landed " men dissuade them from it. The people have petitioned the king to be " annexed to Boston government, but it will not be for the proprietor's in- " terest to admit of that unless the king sends a general governos " over all."
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poffeffions againft a favage enemy, could it be expected, that on the other, they fhould tamely fuffer the intrufion of a landlord. Ufher's intereft was united with theirs in providing for the defence of the country, and contending with the enemy ; but when the propriety of the foil was in queftion, they ftood on oppofite fides ; and as both thefe controverfies were carried on at the fame time, the conduct of the people toward him varied according to the exigency of the cafe ; they fometimes voted him thanks for his fer- vices, and at other times complained of his abufing and oppreffing them.
Some of them would have been content to have held their eftates under Allen's title*, but the greater part, including the principal men, were refolved to oppofe it to the laft extremity. They had an averfion not only to the proprietary claim on their lands, but their feparation from the Maffachufetts government, under which they had former- ly enjoyed fo much freedom and peace. They had petitioned to be re-annexed to them, at the time of the revolution; and they were always very fond of applying to them for help in their difficulties, that it, might appear how unable they were to fub- fift alone. They knew alfo that the Maffa- chufetts people were as averfe as themfelves to Allen's claim, which extended to a great part of their lands, and was particular- ly noticed in their new charter.
Soon after Uther's arrival, he made en- quiry for the papers which contained the
* " I have 40 hands in Exeter who desire to take patents for lands from " you, and many in other towns." Usher to Allen, October 1.695
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tranfactions relative to Mafon's fuits. Du- ring the fufpenfion of government in 1689, Captain John Pickering, a man of a rough and adventurous fpirit, and a lawyer, had gone with a company of armed men to the houfe of Chamberlayne, the late fecretary and clerk, and demanded the records and files which were in his poffeffion. Cham- berlayne refufed to deliver them without fome legal warrant or fecurity; but Pickering took them by force, and conveyed them over the river to Kittery. Pickering was fum- moned before the governor, threatened and imprifoned, but for fome time would neith- er deliver the books, nor difcover the place of their concealment, unlefs by order of the affembly and to fome perfon by them ap- pointed to receive them. At length however he was conftrained to deliver them, and they were put into the hands of the fecretary, by the lieutenant-governor's order.
1693.
Another favourite point with Ufher was to have the boundary between New-Hamp- fhire and Maffachufetts afcertained : There were reafons which induced fome of the peo- ple to fall in with this defire. The general idea was, that New-Hampfhire began at the end of three miles north of the river Merri- mack ; which imaginary line was alfo the boundary of the adjoining townfhips on each fide. The people who lived, and owned lands near thefe limits, pretended to belong to either province, as beft fuited their con- veniency ; which caufed a difficulty in the collecting taxes, and cutting timber. The town of Hampton was fenfibly affected with thefe difficulties, and petitioned the council
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1695. October 12.
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that the line might be run. The council 1695. appointed a committee of Hampton men to do it, and gave notice to the Maffachufetts of their intention ; defiring them to join in Prov. fly the affair. They difliked it and declined to act. Upon which the lieutenant-governor and council of New-Hampfhire caufed the boundary line to be run from the fea-fhore Brief of the three miles northward of Merrimack, and case of N. Kamp. and parallel to the river, as far as any fettlements Massachu. had been made, or lands occupied. stated by Strange &
The only attempt made to extend the fet- Hollings, tlement of the lands during thefe times, was that in the fpring of the year 1694, while there was a truce with the Indians. Ufher granted a charter for the townfhip of Kingf- ton to about twenty petitioners from Hamp- ton. They were foon difcouraged by the dangers and difficulties of the fucceeding hoftilities, and many of them returned home within two years. After the war they re- fumed their enterprize ; but it was not till the year 1725, that they were able to obtain the fettlement of a minifter. No alter- ations took place in the old towns, except the feparation of Great-Ifland, Little-Har- bour, and Sandy-Beach, from Portfmouth, and their erection into a town by the name of New -Caftle ; together with the annexa- tion of that part of Squamfcot patent which Prov, fileg. now bears the name of Stretham, to Exeter, it having before been connected with Hamp-
The lieutenant-governor was very forward in thefe tranfactions, thinking them circum- ftances favourable to his views, and being willing to recommend himfelf to the people
1738, p, 8.
1693
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1693. by feconding their wifhes fo far as was con- fiftent with the intereft he meaned to ferve. The people, however, regarded the fettling and dividing of townfhips, and the running of lines, only as matters of general conveni- ence, and continued to be difgufted with his' adminiftration. His repeated calls upon them for money were anfwered by repeated : pleas of poverty, and requefts for affiftance from the neighbouring province. - Ufher
ufed all his influence with that government to obtain a fupply of men to garrifon the frontiers ; and when they wanted provif- ions for the garrifons, and could not readily raife the money, he would advance it out of his own purfe and wait till the treasury could reimburfe it.
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For the two or three firft years of his ad- miniftration the public charges were provid- ed for as they had been before, by an excifo on wines and other fpirituous liquors, and an impoft on merchandize. Thefe duties being laid only from year to year, Ufher vehe- 1695. mently urged upon the affembly a renewal Nov, 7 & 9. of the act, and an extenfion of the duty to articles of export ; and that a part of the money fo raifed might be applied to the fup- port of government. The anfwer he obtain- ed was, that 'confidering the expofed flate 'of the province, they were obliged to apply " all the money they could raife to their de- ' fence ; and therefore they were not capable ' of doing any thing for the fupport of gov- ' ernment, though they were fenfible his ' honour had been at confiderable expence : ' They begged that he would join with the & council in reprefenting to the kin the pov-
n
السد
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' erty and danger of the province, that fuch 'methods might be taken for their fupport 'and prefervation as to the royal wifdom ' fhould feem meet.' Being further preffed upon the fubject, they paffed a vote to lay the propofed duties for one year, ' provided ' he and the council would join with them ' in petitioning the king to annex them to ' the Maffachufetts,'
He had the mortification of being difap- pointed in his expectations of gain, not only from the people, but from his employer. Allen had promifed him two hundred and fifty pounds per annum for executing his commiffion ; and when at the end of the third year, Ufher drew on him for the pay- ment of this fum, his bill came back pro- tefted *. This was the more mortifying, as he had affiduoufly and faithfully attended to Allen's intereft, and acquainted him from time to time with the means he had ufed, the difficulties he had encountered, the pleas he had urged, the time he had fpent, and the expence he had incurred in defence and fupport of his claim. He now defired him to come over and affume the government himfelf, or get a fucceffor to him appointed in the office of lieutenant-governor. He did not know that the people were before hand of him in this latter requeft.
On a pretence of difloyalty he had remov- ed Hinckes, Waldron, and Vaughan from their feats in the council. The former of thefe was a man who could change with the
1695.
Usher's let ter to Al- len, July and Octo 1695.
* It is probable that Allen was not able to comply with this demand. The purchase of the province from the Masons had been made " with other
' men's money." Letter of Usher to Sir Matthew Dudley, Sept. 1718.
IL
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1695. times ; the two latter were fteady oppofers of the proprietary claim. Their fufpenfion irritated the people, who, by their influence, privately agreed to recommend William Par- tridge, Efq. as a proper perfon for their lieu- tenant-governor in Ufher's ftead. Partridge was a native of Portfmouth, a fhipwright, of an extraordinary mechanical genius, of a politic turn of mind, and a popular man. He was treafurer of the province, and had been ill ufed by Ufher. Being largely con- cerned in trade he was well known in Eng- land, having fupplied the navy with mafts and timber. His fudden departure for Eng- land was very furprizing to Ufher, who could not imagine he had any other bufinefs than to fettle his accounts. But the furprife was greatly increafed when he returned with a commiffion appointing him lieutenant- governor and commander in chief in Allen's abfence. It was obtained of the lords juf- tices in the king's abfence, by the intereft of Sir Henry Afhurft, and was dated June G, 1696.
1697. January. Ashurst's letters in filee.
Immediately on his arrival, his appoint- ment was publickly notified to the people ; though, either from the delay of making out his inftructions, or for want of the form of an oath neceffary to be taken, the commiffion was not publifhed in the ufual manner : But the party in oppofition to Ufher triumphed. The fufpended counfellors refumed their feats, Pickering was made king's attorney, and Hinckes as prefident of the council, o- pened the affembly with a fpeech. This af-
June 8.
MIS Laws. fembly ordered the records which had been
TH
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taken from Pickering to be depofited in the 1697. hands of Major Vaughan, who was appoint- ed recorder : In confequence of which they have been kept in that office ever fince.
Ufher being at Bofton when this altera- tion took place, wrote to them, declaring that no commiffion could fuperfede Itis till duly publifhed ; and intimated his intention of coming hither " if he could be fafe with " his life." He alfo difpatched his fecretary, Charles Story, to England, with an account of this tranfaction, which in one of his private Feb. 20. letters he ftyles " the Pafcataqua rebellion ;" adding, that " the militia were raifed, and " forty horfe fent to feize him ;" and inti- mating that the confufion was fo great, that "if but three French fhips were to appear, Usher's Lettere. " he believed they would furrender on the " firft fummons." The extreme imprudence of fending fuch a letter acrofs the Atlantic in time of war, was ftill heightened by an apprehenfion which then prevailed, that the French were preparing an armament to in- vade the country, and that " they particu- Stough- " larly defigned for Pafcataqua river."
Lt. Gov.
ton's letter of Feb. 24;
'In anfwer to his complaint, the lords of in files. trade directed him to continue in the place Aug. S. of lieutenant-governor till Partridge fhould qualify himfelf, or till Richard, Earl of Bel- lomont, fhould arrive ; who was commiffion- ed to the government of New-York, Maffa- chufetts Bay and New-Hampfhire ; but had not yet departed from England. Ufher re-
ceived the letter from the lords together with the articles of peace which had been con- cluded at Ryfwick, and immediately fet off for New-Hampshire, (where he had not
Dec. 10
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1697.
Dec. 13.
Dec. 14.
Usher's pa.
been for a year) proclaimed the peace, and publifhed the orders he had received, and having proceeded thus far, " thought all " well and quiet." But his oppofers having held a confultation at night, Partridge's com- miffion was the next day publifhed in form; he took the oaths, and entered on the ad- miniftration of government, to the complete vexation and difappointment of Ufher, who had been fo elated with the confirmation of his commiffion, that as he paffed through Hampton, he had forbidden the minifter of that place to obferve a thankfgiving day, which had been appointed by Prefident Hinckes.
Council files.
1698. January 3.
An affembly being called, one of their firft acts was to write to the lords of trade, ' acknowledging the favour of the king in ' appointing one of their own inhabitants ' to the command of the province, complain- ' ing of Ufher, and alledging that there had ' been no difturbances but what he himfelf ' had made ; declaring that thofe counfellors ' whom he had fufpended were loyal fub- ' jects, and capable of ferving the king; and ' informing their lordfhips that Partridge had ' now qualified himfelf, and that they were ' waiting the arrival of the Earl of Bello- ' mont.'
They alfo deputed Ichabod Plaifted to wait on the Earl at New-York, and compli- ment him on his arrival. ' If he fhould find ' his lordfhip high, and referved, and not cafy ' of accefs, he was inftructed to employ fome ' gentleman who was in his confidence to ' manage the bufinefs ; but if eafy and free, ' he was to wait on him in perfon ; to tel!
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him how joyfully they received the news 1698, of his appointment, and that they daily ex- pected Governor Allen, whofe commiffion "would be accounted good till his lordfhip's instructione Plaisted's ' fhould be publifhed, and to afk his advice in fileo. how they fhould behave in fuch a cafe.' The principal defign of this meffage was to make their court to the earl, and get the ftart of Ufher or any of his friends who - might prepoffefs him with an opinion to their difadvantage. But if this fhould have happened, Plaifted was directed 'to obferve ' what reception they met with. If his lord- " fhip was ready to come this way, he was to ' beg leave to attend him as far as Bofton, ‘and then afk his permiffion to return home ;' and he was furnifhed with a letter of credit to defray his expences. This meffage, which fhews the contrivers to be no mean politi- cians, had the defired effect.
The earl continued at New-York for the, firft year after his arrival in America ; dur- ing which time Governor Allen came over, as it was expected, and his commiffion being ftill in force, he took the oaths and affumed the command. Upon which Ufher again made his appearance in council, where he Nov. 29 produced the letter from the lords of trade, claimed his place as lieutenant-governor, and declared that the fufpended counfellors had no right to fit till reftored by the king's or- der. This brought on an altercation, where- in Elliot affirmed that Partridge was duly qualified and in office, that Waldron and Vaughan had been fufpended without caufe, and that if they were not allowed to fit, the reft were determined to refign. The gover-
Aug. 23.
Sept. 15
£
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1698. nor declared Ufher to be of the council ; up- on which Elliot withdrew.
1699.
January 5.
January 6.
At the fucceeding affembly two new coun- fellors appeared ; Jofeph Smith, and Kingfly Hall. The firft day paffed quietly. "The governor approved Pickering as fpeaker of the houfe ; told them he had affumed the government becaufe the Earl of Bellomont had not arrived ; recommended a continu- ance of the excife and powder money, and advifed them to fend a congratulatory mef- fage to the Earl at New-York. The next day the houfe anfwered, that they had con- tinued the cuftoms and excife till Novem- ber, that they had already congratulated the earl, and received a kind anfwer, and were waiting his arrival ; when they fhould enter further on bufinefs. They complained that Allen's conduct had been grievous in forbid- ding the collecting of the laft tax, whereby the public debts were not paid ; in difplac- .
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hing fundry fit perfons, and appointing oth- ers lefs fit, and admitting Ufher to be of the council, though fuperfeded by Partridge's commiffion. Thefe things they told him had obliged fome members of the council and affembly to apply to his lordfhip for re- lief, and "unlefs he fhould manage with a " more moderate hand" they threatened him : with a fecond application.
The fame day Coffin and Weare moved a queftion in council, whether Ufher was one of that body. He afferted his privilege, and obtained a major vote. They then entered their diffent, and defired a difmiffion. The governor forbad. their departure. Weare anfwered that he would not, by fitting there,
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put contempt on the king's commiffion, 1699. meaning Partridge's, and withdrew ... The next day the affembly ordered the money arifing from the impoft and excife to be kept in the treafury, till the Earl of Bellomont's arrival ; and the governor diffolved them.
Thefe violences on his part were fuppofed to originate from Ufher's refentment, and his overbearing influence upon Allen, who is faid to have been rather of a pacific and con- defcending difpofition. The fame ill temper continued during the remainder of this fhort adminiftration. The old counfellors, ex- cepting Fryar, refufed to · fit .. Sampfon Sheaffe and Peter Weare made up the quo- rum. Sheaffe was alfo fecretary, Smith treafurer, and William Ardell fheriff. The conftables refufed to collect the taxes of the preceeding year, and the governor was o- bliged to revoke his orders, and commiffion "the former conftables to do the duty which he had forbidden.
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